I stood, taking my plate to the sink where Ellen Sue kept at her task. “How can you be so tolerable of him?”
She looked me in the eye with such compassion. “He’s not an evil man even when he thinks it. He also has endured a life you could only imagine.”
“Tell me, help me understand.”
She shook her head at me. “You should go rest before you have to get ready later today. If he’s taking you out it’s a big deal and will be black tie.”
I glared at the older woman, frustrated. “Does everyone give Onyx Blake what he wants, when he wants it?”
“Yes, at this point in his life, he’s earned it.” Those were her parting words before she left me in the kitchen alone.
Going back to the bedroom, I sighed. If the library at least had books, I would stay in there and read. Instead, I laid down. I didn’t plan to sleep, more to slow my mind, but in time the emotional exhaustion won and I was fast asleep. The sound of a phone ringing drew me from my slumber. The noise continued, and I sat up expecting to find Onyx.
I didn’t.
Instead, I looked to the dresser where a phone sat ringing. Getting up, I moved to it and my heart swelled with happiness when I recognized it as my own. The caller ID read Kennedy calling, and I filled with relief swiping it to answer.
“Kennedy, are you okay?” I immediately sputtered out, my heart racing.
“Oh Torryn, I’m so sorry you were dragged into this.” Her voice was music to my ears. I missed her more than words could ever say.
Pacing the room, I worried about her. “Tell me everything, Kennedy.” I needed to know. My palms were sweating and my nerves were shot, but still, I wanted to know what was really going on here. It hurt me that she didn’t trust me to even inform me that she had hope for a baby much less how deep all of this really ran.
“I can’t,” she sobbed on the other end.
“Tell me what you can then. I need to know what I’m involved in, Kennedy. Please,” I begged, desperately needing the pieces to the puzzle that my life had become to somewhat fall into place. Everyone deserved to know the reasoning for things happening in their lives. I just wanted those. “I’m not angry. I’m hurt,” I told her honestly. “But Kennedy, I need to know what we’re up against here. How can I protect you and this baby when I don’t have a clue?”
She expelled a long breath. “You know we wanted to have kids. We tried the natural way, and I found out that I’m completely infertile.” She sniffled on the other end, and my heart broke for her. I did know this because I rushed over to comfort her after the doctor’s appointment that day. “The adoption process is so long and tedious. Malcom was telling a friend about our problem, and he said to give him three days and if he got a strange call to answer it. We didn’t know exactly what was going on, but we were so excited at the thought of having a child of our own. We just got wrapped up in all of it so quickly, that before we knew it we were locked in an agreement with Onyx.” She sobbed through every word.
My heart broke for my kind, generous, and loving sister. “Will Onyx really be able to give you a healthy baby?”
“Yes,” she replied confidently. “He’s the best at what he does.”
“Where does the baby come from?” I asked finally, settling back onto the bed, laying with my back against the pillows on the headboard and knees propped up. She claimed he was the best, well, what exactly did he do?
She signed loudly. “I can’t get into that. For the safety of our baby, I can’t tell you the process. In fact, I’m hoping I didn’t already say too much, Torryn. Everything now is so messed up, with him having you and our future in the palm of his hand, while ours are tied so tightly we can’t breathe.”
“I take it that Malcom gave Onyx the money.” I wanted to ask Onyx, but that didn’t happen. I knew he wouldn’t have answered me anyway, so there was no need to ask even if I wanted to madly know.
“Yes.” There’s shuffling around on the other end of the phone. “You know money isn’t the issue with Malcom. He’d use his last dime to give us a family.”
Relief swarmed me, filling me completely. The thought of Onyx going to their home and hurting them pained me beyond belief. This was only a small reassurance, but it was something and I was grasping at straws.
I shifted on the bed, laying down. “How did you know to call me?”
“He texted me and told I would have the opportunity to talk to you soon late last night. Ten minutes ago, I got a message to call your phone and I dialed immediately. What is he doing with you?”
Oh her question made me tremble thinking about all the things he had done with me, especially last night in the library. His rough touches, the intense orgasm, the leaving me without a word. There was so much to talk to her about, but I couldn’t lay that on her. Not yet anyway. Maybe once the baby was born and in their arms, I’d be able to. Only time would tell that.
“Mainly he goes to work. I don’t see much of him.” I semi-lied, feeling completely guilty for it. Our relationship wasn’t built on lies, ever. It was the one true thing and here I did it, and the guilt was tearing me up from the inside out.
I don’t know why I did it, but something about sharing the times I had with Onyx didn’t feel right. It felt wrong on several levels, and there was no way I was telling her I slept with him.
“Well, Malcom says once we have the baby, we’re moving you in, Torryn. Your apartment was packed up and we don’t know where your things went, but Malcom promises to replace everything.” I heard the pain in her voice.
Tears formed, but I pushed them down. It was just stuff, except for the pictures of my mother and sister. I hoped my sister had copies of them, especially the last one with the three of us together. That one could never be replaced, if she didn’t have the copy. The desperation started to build, and I pushed it down. There wasn’t anything I could do about it now, so there was no need in getting worked up. “It can all be replaced as long as you get your baby.”
Her cries over the phone crushed me, and it was becoming harder and harder to hold in the tears. “Being a mom is going to be amazing, Torryn. I hope I can be as good as Mom. And you’re going to be such a fantastic Aunt.”
“Do you know if you’re having a boy or a girl?”
More rustling on the other end. “We’re told it’s a little girl, but until we see the little one and hold it in our arms, we aren’t running out to buy pink. Even if it’s really really hard not to.”
Worry hit me. “Do you think that Onyx is lying?”
“No. He has given us ultrasounds, and we spoke with our surrogate twice. We get weekly pictures of the pregnancy as it progresses and updates after every check up. It’s just that we’ve had our hearts set on having a baby, and I can’t bring myself to get excited until I see him or her. And the more we seem to question Mr. Blake or ask for more, the worse things get between us. It’s been a long eight months not having any control over your own child and the day to day stuff. I keep trying to tell myself it will be done soon enough. I just struggle with having hope it will go smoothly.”
I said softly, “Because it’ll break your heart if something goes wrong.”
“Yeah.”
I wished I could hug her, hold her in my arms and be right by her side. She’d always been there for me and the one time I was actually capable of reciprocating, there wasn’t a damn thing I could do. That was when the tears fell quietly, rolling down my cheeks.
Sucking in a deep breath and pulling myself together, I sat back up in the bed. “Do you at least have a baby room coming together?” I tried pulling her out of her funk. “You said eight months and told me I wouldn’t be here but a month or six weeks at the most. It’s been almost four weeks. So things are progressing.”
“I did have two spare rooms painted, one blue and one pink, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten. I’ve looked, but haven’t bought anything.”
We should have a baby shower for you! I thought better of saying it though. If she w
asn’t buying things for the baby, there was no way that would be an option. But after the baby was born and they had her and I was out of Onyx’s house, I’d throw her the biggest shower possible. I’d invite all of her snobby friends and try my best to not be snarky at them.
“Everything is good here, Kennedy. You don’t need to worry about me. You know I’d do anything for you.”
Her sniffles turned into sobs. “I know. Thank you, a thousand times, thank you. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“You’ll never know that. I’ll always be here,” I told her, knowing even in death I would find a way to be with my sister.
The door to the room swung open, and Ellen Sue’s focus swung to me. “Time to get ready.”
Dread filled me.
“Hey, Kennedy. I have to go, but I’ll call you soon. I love you.”
“Why?” she called out in a rush. “Don’t hang up.”
I closed my eyes, feeling like the shittiest best friend in the entire world. “Onyx needs me, but I’ll call you soon.” I wished I could tell her I’d call her back right away, but I had no idea when that would be. Giving her false hope wasn’t an option. “I love you, Kennedy. We’ll get through this, and you’ll have your dreams come true,” I reminded her.
“Oh… okay, I love you, Tor.” Her whisper was soft.
“Love you too. Talk soon.” Swiping off the phone, I tossed it to the bed, bent my knees and put my head down between them. I needed a moment. I needed to regain my walls where Onyx was on the outside. But talking to my sister put them all down, and I just needed to get them back in place. I kept thinking about how she was confident Onyx had their baby. He wasn’t playing games with them. What kind of man was in the business of placing babies with people? Not only that, but he was cruel and relentless. It didn’t fit.
She kept saying surrogate like this wasn’t some unplanned pregnancy with a mom needing adoptive parents. In fact, given everything at stake here, my sister didn’t say anything about the man who could pull it all away in the blink of an eye. This feeling inside kept telling me Onyx Blake might actually be a good man inside and that wasn’t a lie I needed to start believing.
Frustrated, I climbed off the bed. “I guess I’m really doing this.”
Ellen Sue smiled. “And you’ll be the most beautiful woman in the room.” She was so confident.
Me being the most beautiful woman in any room, that was highly debatable. Right now, I felt like the shittiest person on the planet. It’s all for my sister no matter what happens to me. I had a feeling I’d regret those words.
17
Onyx
Moving to my room, I took the stairs two at a time. I had a long day dealing with a surrogate who had an unexpected health complication. While the handler took the woman in to the Carsen Lane building where we had a doctor on staff, I was on constant standby for updates on both her well-being and that of the baby.
In my room, I went straight to the closet to change into a suit for dinner. I was possibly too distracted to have this meeting tonight, but I wouldn’t cancel it. Listening, I heard a soft humming from my bathroom.
Torryn.
As I changed, I could hear her talking to herself.
“Momma, I’m in over my head. I never should’ve slept with him. And the way he was unaffected, it kills me inside, Momma. All of this is for Kennedy. I hope you’re watching out for her baby in Heaven. I hope this isn’t all for nothing. She’s gonna be such a good mom because you taught us all about love.” She ended on a sigh.
My chest tightened, truly feeling her pain. Finishing up, I strolled into the room she occupied like I didn’t just hear her private thoughts. I needed her to think I was unaffected, didn’t care, and was closed off. Standing beside her at my double vanity, I brushed my teeth while she set down the curling iron to apply lipstick.
“Don’t bother,” I said, referencing the color on her lips. “I’ll be wearing as much of it as you or more.”
“Boundaries, Onyx. We need them.”
“No, we don’t,” I countered as I spit and rinsed. “You’re mine for as long as this arrangement lasts. I’m sure you get that by now. So if I take you out to eat and want to kiss you, I’ll fucking kiss you and you’ll kiss me back no matter who sits with us.”
I watched her eyes twitch, no doubt trying to read between the lines. Yes, tonight would be a spectacle, but in the end it’d be worth it.
“Get dressed, now,” I ordered, moving out of the room. The bathrobe she wore would be sexy as fuck, if it were on the floor.
Hand on hip, she said, “Didn’t I tell you I wasn’t a dog. That I don’t take orders. This isn’t come. Sit. Stay. Roll over.”
Stalking to her, I tore the terrycloth from her body and stopped dead. For a moment in time, I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t blink, couldn’t think. Torryn stood in front of me all in black. Black strapless bra. Black lace panties. Black garters attached to black thigh high stockings. She had no shoes on, but fuck me she didn’t need them.
My dick hardened, pulsing in my dress pants. I wanted to fuck her right then and there and have my come running down her thighs when we meet James.
I lifted my watch noting we needed to leave, and I needed to get my head out of my ass. The focus needed to be on the plan, not her luscious tits and ass bursting from her clothes.
Clearing my throat, I said, “Get your dress and shoes on. We’re late.”
Her glare could’ve set me on fire.
Locking everything down, I sat on the bed while she huffed and went into the closet. “You know you could be somewhat nice. I mean, I don’t expect you to be a saint, but your indifference…” She didn’t finish, which I was grateful for, because that was all she would get from me.
I prepared myself for the dresses, not wanting to have another moment of stupidity. It didn’t work. She came out with the emerald green wrap around that I envisioned her cleavage in when I bought it. In person, nothing could have prepared me for her tits and ass in that dress. It was super short, so my mind went to all the ways I wanted to run my hand up her thigh to finger fuck her through dinner. When I saw the dress on the rack, I immediately thought of her, and fuck me does she fill it out. And the heels. Fuck, I was fucking her with those heels on when we got back tonight.
“Let’s go.”
Walking out of the room, it took a few moments before I heard the click of her shoes on the tiles. They weren’t rushed at all. No, she was taking her time as she moved behind me. Down the stairs and out the door, the Cadillac sat out waiting for us, Case behind the wheel.
James was unpredictable at best, and he had no idea what I had in store for him. This made him more likely to take things to extremes. Case was my assurance James didn’t touch Torryn. If anything went wrong, Case knew to bring her back here and I would handle the prick personally. They all knew to run damage control, but James was always my problem and my problem alone to handle.
Opening the door to the passenger seat, Torryn slid in. “Wow, he can be chivalrous, who knew.”
“Don’t get used to it.” I slammed the door, getting another one of her special glares through the window.
I slid into the sleek vehicle and Case took off, only stopping so I could to enter the gate code and we were off. Torryn was quiet, holding the purse that went with the dress in her lap. The only thing that was probably in there was her phone. There was no use in keeping it from her because her sister wouldn’t tell her many details since she didn’t have most of them, and Torryn wouldn’t leave me before the baby was safely with her parents.
There was no use for that leash. Leash. That sounded like a good idea, but for kinkier reasons—not to actually drag Torryn around with.
I reached over and put my hand on her knee. She tried to push me off by moving her leg, but I gripped harder. “Let go,” she demanded and I wanted to laugh, but refrained.
“You are mine. I’ll kiss you, touch you, and do whatever in the fuck I want to you while we’
re here. You don’t resist. You don’t give me lip. You’re my dutiful girlfriend in public.”
“I fucking hate you,” she growled out.
“Good.”
Pulling up to the Rutherford’s, the car slid through the valet entry. I was out and one of the greeters opened the door for Torryn. She stepped out and every fucking man’s eyes were pointed on her. The sudden urge to kill everyone in the fucking room hit hard.
Holding out my arm, Torryn slid her hand through the opening with a huff. “Why did you want me to be with you?” she whispered.
I stopped pulling her up flush to my body, her heat and curves touching me in all the right spots. To the bystanders we looked like a couple in love where I would be whispering sweet nothings to her ear. I wasn’t. Instead, I laid down the law. “Do not question me or there will be consequences, Collateral. Don’t ever forget that.”
She visibly deflated, and I couldn’t tell if it was because she was giving in or it was something else. Instead of asking, I pulled her through to the hostess’ stand where we were seated in the middle of the restaurant. The perfect place.
She fiddled with her napkin, placing it in her lap and keeping her hands there as well. A young man came to the table and asked, “What can I get you to drink?” Then he went on to tell us about the wine assortment. Torryn listened attentively to him, giving him her full attention. The young man liked it too, judging from the blush.
I rose quickly getting in the man’s face. “She’s mine. Fuckin’ stare at her again, and I’ll rip your balls from your body and shove them down your throat.” He visibly trembled while Torryn rose from her seat, going to his side.
“I’m sorry he’s …,”
I cut her off. “Sit.”
She glared at me defiantly and turned back to the man. “I’m terribly sorry about my date. He gets a little territorial. Maybe if you get our drinks it will calm him down.” The man nodded quickly while I ordered her with my eyes to sit down.
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